Clarification treatment of solids carrying liquid and apparatus therefor



Feb. 16, 1954 w. A. KIVELL ET AL 2,669,357

CLARIFIC'ATION TREATMENT OF SOLIDS CARRYING LIQUID AND APPARATUS THEREFOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 19, 1952 N l W E R A Y o R E M R E v Fm NE mm. A A Wm. R Y B w. A. KIVELL ET AL 3 CLARIFICATION TREATMENT OF SOLIDS CARRYING LIQUID AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Feb. 16, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19, 1952 I INVENTORSI WAYNE A. KIVELL a .ILLE S. RAN m ATTOR Feb. 16, 1954 W A. KIVELL ETAL 2,669,357

CLARIFICATION TREATMENT OF SOLIDS CARRYING LIQUID AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed March 19, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.4.

INVENTORSI WAYNE A. KIVELL & RENV LLE s. RANKI BY t '7 ATTO R Feb. 16, 1954 w. A. KIVELL ETAL 2,659,357 CLARIF'ICATION TREATMENT OF SOLIDS CARRYIN LIQUID AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed March 19, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I mvzmons:

WAYNE A. KIVELL a RENVILLE S. RANKIN, BY 445mm 6 ATTOR Y Feb. 16, 1954 w. A. KlVELL ETAL 2,669,357

CLARIFICATION TREATMENT OF SOLIDS CARRYING LIQUID AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed March 19, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 n I o mvsu-rons:

I WAYNE A. KIVELL a x. RENVILLE s. RAN m,

ATTO EY Patented Feb. 16, 1954 CEARIFI'CATIONIITREA CARRYING. LIQUID THEREFUR TMENLT or. SOLIDS AND APPARATUS? Wayne A. Kivell, BronxvilIe, N". Y5, and Renvilleaa St -Rankin; Stamford, Conn, lassignorszasto The Dorr Company,- stamforduzflonnnacorporation of Delaware Application Mar-ch lll, 1952;S eriaTNb: 2771386 Cl; MOI-p55) l 13 Claims Thisimventionirelatesto the clarificationtreat mentvof solidsi-carnying liquids in settling tanks where a quantitygor the settled solids or sludge is: :to be :continuously remixed with :the liquid being continuously fed to "thewt'ankcwhilesludge isocontinuously withdrawn' from a sump inJthe tank; bottom such: remixing being employed for encouraging-and promoting;sedimentation." Ex-' amples-nof: .su'ch. liquid treatment with remixing are-found in the purification and softening treat-s 3 mentaof watery: and in'ithe clarification treatment of sewage and-"waste liquids.

With such fields of? applicationinmind, the int-1- ventionxrelatesmore particularly to. settling tanks where the; liquidrto [be treated feeds. continuously tortheetanky; while settlednsolids. from the liquid are continuouslyzconveyeduin the form of sludge by a rotary raking structure to a sumpor outlet' lnea-rlthea center of the tank,= and'the. resulting clarifiedzliquicl continuously overflowsi intoa pea ripheral-ilaunderat the i top of: the tank; the rotary raking-r stnuetureeusually'comprisesi radial-1y err-- tending rake armsieach of which carries a set of raking blades singularly, so disposed with respect to their path rotmovement as to progressively convey: and advance the settled solids over .thetank bottom towards the center thereon Indeed this: inventionlis specifically. concerned I with the treatment ofhlargefiows of liquidsin' a type-sot tanltsin whichithei-liquid enters. the: tank can.-v tral ly throughithe bottom and through ahollow central: column; on pier which has at its top an annular bearing-{structure for rotatably support ing the'sedimentraking. structure. Theupier.

usually expands at the top into an operating plat formrwhich carriesz. motorized drive -mechanism for-the. rotary ,rake structure. A bridge usually,

leads: from the. tank wall. to( the platform In that type of tanks-the supply of feed liquiclis provided atwan adequate hydraulic head, so.it passes underneath :the tank. and then upwardly through the centralnco'lumn to discharge into the tanlc proper by wayof ports providedinthe upper endaaportion-tot the pier below the bearing struev-V ture.

Indeed; for thetreatment of such; asrthe above indicated liquids such tanks comprise two sequena tiatust'reatment "stages -:or concentric treatment zones; namelyv anr agitation zone directly sure rounding ther pleas-and an annular quiescent zone which:insturn surrounds; the central agitation zona,-.:thesevtwo treatmentlzonesabeing definedrbya=.-vertlcai-mylindrical: partitioning; .wail disposed coaxtalz:with'lthemiergranderising from-just above the rake arms of the rakingstructure to above the liquid level" in the tank Feed liquid :enteri-z in'g: such a tank I centrally from the: 'hollow'tpier undergoes suitable*- agitationandr: flocculation treatment in the central: agitation tzoneic'while passing downwardlytherethrough, thenetransits outwardly in all 'direetions from: underhthe cyliria d'rical T partitioning Wallinto F the surrounding quiescent zone thereto deposit sediment: ronzthe tank -=bottom so that clarified liquid wmay. "reach and overflow 'in'to 13116;." peripheral? discharge launder."

Where such a: bottom' fed, centen-pi'ert'type'; two-zone treatment tank serves the treatment: of water as in softening, thecentral agitatingnzone may be equipped withrotary'flocculatingimechase nism as of the vertical picket iencetyp'eifon effects ing flocculatio'n of precipitated .or acoa'gu'lated solids in that zone; where such a two-zone treat rnentunit servesthe clarification: of sewage liquids; the agitation together: with-. aeration: t'of the liquid is effected by .means ofi diffusion pipesor air 'difiu'sers provided in submergence: in that zone and spaced from: and around the center pier. These air difiusers effect agitation asnwel'l as aeration of the sewage; wherebyiorganiccmatterisisupplied oxygen needed forstabilization as to putrescence- -and for'ssatis'fyingz its: biologic oxygezrdemand;

In: tha clarification-inf::such. as the aforementioned:solids-carrying: liquids it'is; desirable that a portioniot the" settled: solids or sludge; be con= tinuouslyi retransferrediitot the .feed' liquid' and be -remixed therewith; in; order; that the :effecie tiveness of treatment-in the. centralagitation zone ofuthat tank' mayfzbe improved to, the end i-of. increasing the isettleability of the solids anct hence the over-all? settling efficiency of the tank: unit: R'emixingsuch solidstorlsludgewith the freshteed encourages and improves flocculation-of solidsin then-agitation zone-end hence the :settleability of. the precipitated? and coagulated'solids in the purification treatment of water whereas the casetcofiiclarification treatment of sewage; :theadinixin grof the sludge'tothe'feed liquid-not only increasinglystabi-lizes the organic-matter but: also promotes its flocculation and settleabilityl Itrisiamongotheobjects :of' this invention-to providexforsuch large-size bottom-fed, center-z pier type, two-zone treatment- 'tanksnimprove ments in'athel nature of simpleiand efiicientisludge transfen meansewhereby: settled solids-on sludge from :theratank 1 bottom are transferred:tax-amt mixed with the fresh feed continuously at ia desired rate to provide retransfer and mixing means: that: can be embodied: compactly in the structure of such a tank even though without any radical changes of the above-defined general construction thereof; to provide retransfer and mixing means that add nothing to the excavation requirements of the tank unit nor add to the tank structure nor require any auxiliary boosting devices such as pumps or air lifts for effecting retransfer and mixing; and to provide retransfer and mixing means whereby the transfer of sludge from the tank bottom back to and into the feed liquid and to the agitation'zone can be attained directly without requiring extra connections or piping externally of the tank proper, and whereby the transfer is gentle by non-mechanically induced hydraulic flow effects in distinction from the floc-disintegrating-and shearing effects attendant to the operation of motor-driven drafttube impellers or the like.

These objects are attained by providing sludge ingress ports in the lower end portion of the hollow pier and changing the effective inner contour of the otherwise cylindrical hollow of the pier as heretofore known, to form a Venturi-like or eductor-like constriction above the sludge ingress V openings and. so related thereto and so dimensioned that the upflow velocity alone of the liquid draws the desired quantity of sludge from the lower strata of the liquid body in the tank into feed liquid to mix therewith prior to its issuing from the egress port in the upper end portion of the pier. In this way no other boosting means or devices are required for effecting the retransfer of the sludge solids to the feed liquid, other than a few inches of the hydrostatic head usually available in the feed liquid supplied.

According to one feature there are the upfiowing stream of provided regulating means operable from the platform atop the pier for controlling the opening of the sludge ingress openings and thereby controlling the rate'at which sludge solids are retransferred from the bottom of the tank to the interior of the pier by and to the feed liquid rising therethrough.

- According to a more specific feature, where the manner of conduit of the sedimentation operation. involves maintaining a sludge blanket of significant depth at the bottom of the tank, the retransfer regulating means are such as to be operable not only to vary the quantity of solids to be retransferred, but also operable in a manner whereby the solids to be retransferred can be drawn in effect from a particular desired strata of the strata of the sludge blanket.

-In summary, this invention provides simple and inexpensive sludge transfer means for improving the operation and the sedimentationtreatment capacity of bottom-fed, center-pier type, two-zone treatment tanks which have a rotary raking structure operatively supported by the pier with a stationary operating platform atop the pier for mounting the machinery for rotating the rake structure, such transfer means being provided by transforming the hollow-pier as heretofore known into a flow-velocity-increasing sludge induction device with inner Venturilike contours operable by the hydrostatic head of the feed liquid itself, with ingress openings at the foot end of the pier.

- In addition, simple gate type retransfer regulating means are provided which can be raised or lowered from'the operating platform atop the pier.

Fig. l is an elevational section of a bottom-fed, center-pier type, two-zone treatment tank with the center pier portion part-sectional to indicate therein the Venturi-like duct construction, with rotary flocoulating mechanism for use in water conditioning.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional-view of the. center pier portionof the tank of Fig. 1, showing more clearly the Venturi-construction with a low pair of sludge return openings and control gates therefor.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical detail section taken on line 4-5 of the plan view of Fig. 3 showing a high pair of sludge return openings and control gates therefor.

Fig. 5 is a further enlarged sectional detail view of the top end platform-construction of the center pier and of various drive mechanisms mounted thereon.

Fig. 6 is an elevational sectional view similar to Fig. 1 although of a tank having stationary air induction pipes in a central agitation aerating treatment zone suited for sewage treatment instead of the mechanical agitating and flocculating mechanism of Fig. l.

' The embodiment in Fig. 1 of around centerpier two-zone type of treatment tank it comprises a shallow conical bottom I I provided with a supply conduit l2 for feed liquid leading to the center of the bottom, and with an off-center sludge sump l3 having a sludge withdrawal'pipe connection 14. A cylindrical tank wall [5 rising from the circumference of the bottom is provided along its top end with an overflow launder it for receiving and discharging clarified liquid 7 shown supported upon the tank wall. "Also various motorized drive mechanism is mounted upon and supported by the operating platform, namely a drive unit M1 for revolving a sediment rakin structure 23 rotatably supported by the platform 20 and a drive unit M2 for revolving an agitating structure 24 and also rotatably supported by the platform 20.

The agitating structure 24 operate within'a central agitation or flocculation zone Z1 directly surrounding the pier although spaced a distance d from the tank bottom, such a zone being defined as against a surrounding outer annular quiescent zone Z2 by a cylindrical baiiie wall 25 provided at its bottom with an annular substantially horizontal shelf 25 which in turn defines an opening 0 ford'ownward passage thereth'rough of floc-bearing liquid from the agitated flocculation zone Z1 to the quiescent sedimentation zone Z2. 7 r

More particularly, the raking structure 23 comprises a customary set of radially extending rake arms 21 which carry sediment engagingraking blades 28 which when the raking structure is r0- tated convey settled solids from outlying annular zones of the bottom towards the center-pier where they collect in sump 13 to be'withdrawn as sludge through pipe l4. 1

geese-'5 s The rakearinsgifl in tom -ammonites upon a rotary cage structure -28? '(see'iFig-2""andFig: herein tehnedthe innercage"structure; the topend of which'issuppbrtedbya'vertical thrust ball bearing-B1- constituted by an uppei annular bearing member zrformingthe upper endpor tio'n of the cage'struct'ure' n and We lower sta tionary bearin'g niembeiflflshbwn to form part Of'fl'lfi' operatingplatforin structure 'ifl-jfthe two bearing members 29 and;30representingrace ways for bearing balls-3 If." The upper bearing memberior race way; 291's"furthermoreforrned with an internally. toothed ring lgear '32 meshing with a; pinion 33*"fixed on" a' 'vertic'al shaft: 34 m tatable in the platform structure andfidriven' by: tn'e'driveunitrMlt V V The rotary agitatihgjstnictur'e Zf'ijrl Figs; 1 and 2" comprises a set "of, radially extending'arms 35,"each.oifwhichf arin's' carriesla set or rower. upright agitating elements 35'lia ving cooperative relationship with stationary sets ,of, complementary vertical dependingagitating elements. 3! extending rigidly downwardfrom the bridge structure. That isto say, astheagitating struc-v ture 24' revolves the upright jagitating elements 36 will repetitivelymo've Dastthe stationary ag'itating elements .3lkwith ther'eleltiv'e' disposition and relative v. spacing of the elements 36"and 3 1" b'eingsuchthatthei demerits 36 willmove through respectiv'e' spaces providedljbetween; the element 37;- therebyeifecting alkiridfloff agitation of the liquid that is conducive tdproduce flocculation of the solids suspendedinthezliquid; The arms' are :mounted upon and carried by what is'h'erein termedan outer rotarynca'gehstructure 38 with flow passages 3 84 whichi'cage structure is rotata' blysupported upon theplatform. structure 20 by means of a verticaltthrustlballfbearing B2 constitutedby an upper rotary annularbearing member or raceway .39 (see Figs-5) formingnthe'um pen end portion of the cagestructurie .38; and a lowerstationary annular bearing member 40 shown; to be fastened to the platform structure as by bolts it. The upperbearing member39 alsocomprising aworm gears-'Totatablebythe drive unit M2.

According to this inventionthe hollow center pier; or column [8 is,=interiorly'constructed a special manner whereby the column as a whole presents an interior educto'r shaped contour with sludge ingress openings provided in the lower end portion of the column. Thus, the very flow of liquid rising in the center pier column is alone utilized to induce and effect reentry in a smooth and gentle manner of desired quantities of previously flocculated solids into the risingstream of liquid in the column.

More in particular, the ingress openings are shown to comprise a first pair of suchopenings 42 disposed at the very foot of the column; and a second pair of such openings 43' disposed a distance T above the'openin'gs 42'." The potential flow through each of these ingress openings is shown to be controlled individually-as by a verti cally movable gate for each opening from above the platform structure 20; I Inithiswa'y and be cause ofbthe Venturi' effectfof the internal eductor shape of the column-taken as'a whole; there is attainable a controlledand automatic return and introduction of sludge into thest'ream of feed liquid rising within the column i8from diiferent levels of a sludge'bed whiohis-adapted to be found inthe quiescent zone Z2 of the liquid body in the tank; That is to-"sayydueto the- V'enturi-effect' "upon the feed --liquid"rising iIT'th column" quantities of relatively concentrated; sludge may be drawn at a controllable rate intothe column from the bottomstrata of thesludga bed through the lower ingress openings 42- or quantities of less concentrated or dilute sludge may be drawnfrom a higherstrata of thesludge' bed or blanket through upper ingress openings 43, or else the gate members of respective ingress openings maybe so controlled that quantities ofconcentrated sludge as well as of dilute will now be described more fully byrefe'rence toFiguresZ, 4 and 5.

Thecolumn 18 as a whole is shown to comprise what may be termed an interior shaped steel shell or shaped skeleton structure dd surrounded by pouredeoncrete-so that its exterior may pre sentthe appearance of a straight cylindrical column, while the interior as a whole presentsthe contours of a desired eductor shape capable of'handling such volumes of flow as occur i'n" either water-or sewage treatment-and yet of operating in accordancewith the conceptof this invention as regards the manner" of returning flocculated solids from the sludge bed to the feed liquid.

In a practical embodiment, the eductor shaped interior shell or shaped skeleton struc-- ture herein simply termed the ed-uctor shape is a combination of cylinder-shaped and cone-- shaped component portions of sheet steel, the component portions or sections being joined to one another as by welding to constitute the eductor shape. Starting at the bottomthe eductor shape as here shown comprises an initial cylindrical portion n of diameter d1 risingto a height hi above the tank bottom; The nextcomponent portion 222 of aheight n2 is a steep conical shape with the base diameter d; narrowing down to a diameterdz at the top, Then-- follows a short cylindrical section pa of a height he; and a diameter 0T2; Then follows an in verted relatively shallow conical portion 1340f a height hi having a pair of openings 02 from each of which extends a-do'wnw-ard leg or duct .45 shown'to be shaped-as to form parts of the 'exterior contourof the column. Then followsa portion rig-relatively short but of steep conicity andofa height from whichrises a straight cylindrical portionps of aheig'nthe, toppedby an inverted slender-conical terminal portion 01 of i a height in. a

Each of, the two ingress ducts 45 comprises an' upper short cyiindricalend portion 717' disposed under an angle or about 45? anda lower substantially vertical end portion pa shaped to join: the cylindrical portion of the top along the line 45, and to flatten out at the bottom. ingress, openings 42.

The ingress openings 42 each have a vertically slidable gate member l? operable from above the platform 26 by means of I'Odfifi and handwheel he having threading engagement withthe rod. In this way the rate of ingress of a denser quality sludge from the bottom strata into the rising column of feed liquid is controlledjfiioni.

zero to fulfrate by vertical adjustment of the gate members. A similar gate member 50 with rod and handwheel 52 is provided individually for each of the upper ingress openings 43, so that the rate of ingress therethrough of dilute sludge from the upper strata of the sludge bed is thereby controllable from zero to full rate.

. The operation of the tank unit employable for the purpose of water purification is shown in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 5 as follows: The 'feed liquid entering the tank through feed conduit [2, is water which has been dosed with a precipitating agent and which carries a suspension of flocculatalble solids to be removed from the liquid by sedimentation. The feed liquid enters the foot end of the hollow center pier at a velocity determined by the liquid pressure head available and by the entrance diameter (11. As the liquid passes upwardly through the column a portion of pressure head or pressure energy converts into velocity energy due to the'conical narrowing of the how cross-section to the minimum diameter dz. Because of a cor respondingly lowered pressure in the zone of highest flow velocity, Venturi-effect sludge from the sludge bed in the zone Z2 is drawn through the lower ingress openings 42 or through the upper ingress openings 43 to mingle gently with the upflowing stream oi! solids carrying feed liquid, or else through both the upper as well as the lower gate members. That is to say, sludge of relatively high density may be drawn at a desired rate through the lower ingress openings 42 at a desired rate as controlled by the setting of the respective gate members 4?, while the upper ingress openings fit may remain closed; or a relatively dilute sludge may be drawn at a desired rate through the upper ingress openings 43, while the lower ingress openings 42 may remain closed; or else both controlled quantities of relatively concentrated sludge and controlled quantities of dilute sludge are drawn into the rising stream of feed liquid through the respec tive lower and upper ingress openings with a corresponding setting of the respective gate members 41 and 553 having been effected from above the operating platform structure Zll.

Feed liquid thus mingled within the center pier with previously settled flocculated sludge solids of a desired controlled quality and quantity rises through the upper gently widening portion in of the hollow interior of the center pier, to issue in radial outward directions from the top of the pier by way of the opening !9.

The feed liquid thus pre-conditioned by the admixture of the sludge solids enters the fiocculating zone Z1 through the openings in cage structure 28 and 38. The flocculating zone Z1 contains a liquid body being subjected to agitation by the movements of the agitating members or paddles 36 and 31 relative to one another, the agitation being such as to encourage flocculation in the mixture of suspended fresh and previously iiocculated and settled solids. The liquid thus under flocculation slowly descends in the zone Z1 and eventually passes through the transfer opening 0 into the underlying body of liquid of the quiescent settling zone Z2 where the flocculated solids may settle to form the aforementioned sludge bed or blanket from which a portion is steadily withdrawn through discharge pipe 14 while another portion is steadily and automatically retrieved through the ingress openings into the rising stream of feed liquid for continuous conditioning thereof, and while clarified liquid steadily passes across the overflow edge I! to discharge into the launder 16.

The tank unit employable for the purpose of sewage clarification as shown in Fig. 6 diiiers structurally from the Fig. l embodiment substantially only in that the central agitation zone Z1 lacks mechanical agitation means, but is provided with aerating devices, that is with a numben of submerged air-emitting distributing pipes indicated at D and shown to have a controlled valve V. The suspended sewage matter is thus agitatingly aerated whereby organic matter is supplied oxygen needed for stabilization as to putrescence and for satisfying its biologic oxygen demand, and the matter is also coagulated and eventually fluocculated. Such aerated stablized and fiocculated matter descends to the tank bottom where it is raked towards the center of the tank by rotary raking mechanism which is similar to that of Fig. l for discharge through a sump from the tank bottom in the manner of the, Fig.

1 embodiment. Also, as in Fig. l, treated mat-' ter or sediment or sludge is drawn into and admixed to the stream of incoming raw sewage that rises in the hollow central pier, such admixture being due to the inductor effect of the interior configuration oi the central pier which is similar to that of Fig. l, the quantity or rate of admixture of such portion of sludge being controllable by gate members M which can be manipulated from above as by respective handwheels H and in a manner already described for the Fig. 1 embodiment.

The admixture in this manner of sludge to the incoming raw sewage liquid promotes and improves not only the biological stabilization of the organic sewage matter, but also its flocculation and settling characteristics. Clarified sewage liquid from the outer annular and quiescent zone Z2 passes under ascum bafiie F so as to overflow into a launder A whence it discharges as indicated by a discharge connection E. The scrum intercepting baffle F may be associated with a customary scum collecting device (not shown) whereby intercepted scum is moved along the scum baiiie to be discharged through a customary discharge device or discharge trough (not shown) into a scum collecting chamber C whence the collected scum may be released as through a manually operable gate '1.

We claim:

1. A clarification tank having a hollow center pier structure rising from the bottom and having a bottom feed inlet leading into said hollow pier and also having discharge ports at the upper end, a feed conduit extending underneath the tank to pass feed liquid under hydrostatic operating head to said no tom inlet into and through said hollow pier for discharge through said discharge ports into the tank, a rotary sediment raking structure surrounding the pier and operatively supported by annular bearing means at the top end of the pier and rotatable for conveying sediment inwardly over the tank bottom to a zone of collection and discharge at said pier, a stationary structure at the top of the pier and deriving support therefrom, power drive means provided upon the stationary structure for rotating the raking structure, sediment outlet means for removing collected sediment as sludge from said collection zone, overflow discharge means for clarified liquid at the top of the tank, a cylindrical partitioning bafile wall surrounding the pier and defining an inner agitation zone directly surrounding the pier and an outer quiescent zonenurmundinaathapartitionina:wal rsaid pare titiomns iwall eextendinaesfromiabove the: l quid: level: to ia-ilevel zspacedafrom thextanmbottomvsufe ficiently; topallow forithaspassagen ofisludge :to

upfiow, velocity of feed1liquidiundernsaid;'hye

static :pressure 1 being effective to; draw a 1 desire t volume-sfrom said sludgetcollect'ing;zone throu said: inlet 113011351170? mingle-with; the feed ,liqei for delivery through i said :idischargea-ports said? pier having an: eductor-shapedhollowacore and aajacket; of: concrete poured; around :landliclo'sing saidrhollow; corezso asto", follow the contours, thereior' and: constituting columnar :supportnon said ixstationary" structurep saidLholl'ow: core: com-- prisingxan intermediate eductor portionprovided with eductor-inlet openings: having respective outwardly extendingueductor inlet conduit pertions'ztocons'titute,saidIinlet ports extending out-U Wardly through: saidconcretajackeu. so that said intermediatei eductonportion a constitute-eta mi: ing zone fonsaid sludge andssaidrieed liquid, said-"intermediate"eductor: portion being wider in the middle thani at its upper andilower although wider atiits upper end than atgits lower end and gradually increasing iin 'diameter from the upper andthe lowerends towards each other,

an: upwardly gradually constricted inii'uent eductor portion leadingupwardly to: the: lower end of said intermediate portion; and -an up wazdly gradually:widening effluent eductor po tion leading upwardlyfrom the upper end of intermediate eductor portion.

2'; A clarification tank according toclaim 1, with the additionlof J'controllable closure means for said'sludge inlet ports, and actuatingmeans operable from said stationarysstructuretoset the'closuremeans for a desireddegree of,- closing and @for adesired volume rate of, sludge transfer.

3.;A; clarification tank according to ,claiin- 1, with the addition of controllahleeclosure. means forisaidisludge inlet ports, .and actuating, means operable from said stationary;, structureg-tosset thosclosurameans for a desiredrdegree of; closing and for a desired volume rate-of sludge transfer, comprising a vertically slidable gate for each of said sludge inlet ports, and positive actuating means extending upwardly from each gate to said platform, and manually operable means for each rod for actuating the gate.

4. A clarification tank according to claim 1, in which the intermediate eductor portion comprises an inverted relatively short frusto-conical shell portion constituting a relatively shallow up wardly flaring continuation of said upwardly constricted eductor portion, and an upwardly constricted frusto-conical shell portion connecting downwardly with the upper end of said flaring portion and upwardly with the lower end of said upwardly widening eductor effluent portion, with said eductor inlet ports extending at a downward angle from said inverted frusto-conical shell por-- tion.

5. A clarification tank according to claim 1 in which said upwardly constricted eductor portion comprises a lower conical portion and an upper straight tubular end portion.

6. A clarification tank according to claim 1 in which.theypienstructure-ris characterized-thereby thatthe, eductor inlet i conduit portions. comprises Oneepairoflrelatively short conduits arranged opal. posedly toJone another and-lat .adownward angle? to terminate an appreciable distancegabove:thea

: tanki bottom, and v,a pairv of longer conduits arrangedaopposedly .to one another-and extending; downwardly to ,terminate =substantiallycloser? to the-tanh bottom :thansthefirst mentioned pain." and; closure-.means loperable from, said platform forselectively controlling 1 the through flow: areas of the. short. conduits: and ,@the longer conduits, relative-to one another:

8.; Ai'clarificationitank according ,toclaim lrim which thegpier; structure, is; characterizeduthere bywthat theieductor inlet conduit portions com prise-tone ,pair oft conduits, arranged opposedl-y, to one another and extending downwardly anap precia-blewdistance-and along said gradually con striated eductor;influentaportion to-terminategatl. the; tank bottom.

9: A clarification tank having a 1 hollow. center pier structure rising fromzthe 'bottomand having a bottomsfeed inletleading into-saidthollow pierandvalsohaving,dischargeports-atthe upper end a feedconduit extending underneath the tank to pass feed liquid under hydrostatic. operating head to said bottom inlet into andlthrou h saiuhollow? pier fort-discharge through said, ;ports;;into the tank, a rotary sediment r raking structure; surrounding the pier) and, operatively supported 1 by-i annular-.bearingmeansiatthe ytop end ;;of the pier; and rotatable-,forconveying, sediment inwardly: over the tank bottom ,to.-a zone 1 of, collection and discharge-at, isaid pier as stationary structure at, theztoprpf t the pier,-andnderiving support there m; :pow :drivevmeans --:pr0vid d.-11p0 th st rtionary structureiyfor rotatingthe raking strum tune; sedimentc, outlet; means \for; removing col lected; sed-igment: as; sludse from i said collection: zone, overfiow:dischargeimeans definingthe oven, flow: eveltfonclarifiedliquid rat, ,thetop ofthe tan a cylindrical partitioning bafilewall sur either-pi r. andidefiningi an-inn r-aeit r tion zon dim urro nd n gth pier nd: an: uter qu scentvz nesur oundin t eapar t one ins-t vail; 1 aid-i partiti ning: wall extend ng? from: above the liquid level to a level spaced from the tank bottom sufficiently to allow for the passage of sludge to said sludge collection zone and of liquid to said overflow discharge means; characterized thereby that the pier provides 001- umnar structure of poured concrete to furnish support for said stationary structure, and that the inner contour of the pier is rendered in the shape of an eductor providing a constriction intermediate the upper and lower end of the pier and sludge inlet ports connected with said constriction whereby said pier structure is renderd as a sludge transfer means with the upfiow velocity of feed liquid under said hydrostatic pressure being effective to draw a desired volume from said sludge collecting zone through said inlet ports to mingle with the feed liquid for delivery through said discharge ports, said inner contour comprising a mixing zone for said sludge and said feed liquid, which is wider in the middle than at its upper and lower ends although wider at the upper end than at the lower end and gradually increasing in diameter from the upper and the lower ends towards each other, with said sludge inlet ports extending in said concrete from said mixing zone substantially between the widest cross-section and the lower end cross-section thereof, and further comprising an upwardly gradually constricted eductor infiuent portion leading upwardly to said intermediate portion, and an upwardly gradually widening eductor effluent zone leading upwardly from said intermediate zone.

10. A clarification tank having a hollow center pier structure rising from the bottom and havin a bottom feed inlet leading into said hollow pier and also having discharge ports at the upper end, a feed conduit extending underneath the tank to pass feed liquid under hydrostatic operating head to said bottom inlet into and through said hollow pier for discharge through said ports into the tank, a rotary sediment raking structure surrounding the pier and operatively supported by annular bearing means at the top end of the pier and rotatable for conveying sediment inwardly over the tank bottom to a zone of collection and discharge at said pier, a stationary structure atop the pier, power drive means provided upon stationary structure for rotating the raking structure, sediment outlet means for removing collected sediment as sludge from said collection zone, overflow discharge means defining the overflow level for clarified liquid at the top of the tank, a cylindrical par titioning bafile wall surrounding the pier and de fining an inner agitation zone directly surrounding the pier. and an outer quiescent zone surrounding the partitioning wall, said partitioning wall extending from above the liquid level to a level spaced from the tank bottom sufiiciently to allow for the passage of sludge to said sludge collection zone and of liquid to said overflow discharge means, characterized in that the pier is provided with sludge inlet ports and that the inner contour of the pier is rendered in the shape of an eductor providing a constriction intermediate the ends of the pier and connected with said inlet ports whereby said pier structure is rendered as a sludge transfer means with the upflow velocity of'feed liquid under said hydrostatic head being effective to draw a desired volume from said sludge collecting zone through said inlet ports to mingle with the feed liquid for delivery through said discharge ports, said pier having a hollow columnar steel structure comprising an intermediate eductor portion provided with eductor inlet openings and constituting a mixing zone for said sludge and said feed liquid, said intermediate eductor portion being wider in the middle than at its upper and lower ends although wider at its upper end than at its lower end and gradually increasing in diameter from the upper and the lower ends towards each other, with said eductor inlet openings provided substantially between the widest cross-section and the lower end cross-section thereof, an upwardly gradually constricted infiuent eductor portion leading upwardly to the lower end of said intermediate portions, and an upwardly gradually widening efliuent eductor portion leading upwardly from the upper end of said intermediate eductor portion.

11. A clarification tank according to claim 10, in which the intermediate eductor portion comprises an inverted relatively short frusto-conical shell portion as an upwardly flaring continuation of said upwardly constricted eductor portion, and an upwardly constricted frusto-conical shell portion connecting downwardly with the upper end of said flaring portion and upwardly with the lower end of said upwardly widening eductor efiluent portion, with said eductor inlet ports extending at a downward angle from said inverted frusto-conical shell portion.

12. A clarification tank according to claim 10 in which said upwardly constricted eductor portion comprises a lower conical portion and an upper straight tubular end portion.

13. A clarification tank according to claim 10 in which said upwardly widening inductor effluent portion comprises a lower straight tubular portion and an upper conical portion.

WAYNE A. KIVELL. RENVILLE S. RANKIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,123,011 Ripley Dec. 29, 1914 2,268,475 Darby Dec. 30, 1941 2,268,726 Tark Jan. 6, 1942 2,274,361 Darby Feb. 24, 1942 2,353,358 Prager July 11, 1944 2,404,701 Felsecker July 23, 1946 2,427,886 Walker Sept. 23, 1947 2,506,927 Kelly May 9, 1950 

